Daniel Day-Lewis is Spielberg’s Lincoln

For Steven Spielberg’s long-gestating Lincoln biopic Liam Neeson was the name most discussed to play the 16th President of the United States. But when a production date couldn’t be agreed upon, Neeson dropped out and director Steven Spielberg was left without an actor to play the role. But it has been reported by Deadline that Daniel Day-Lewis will don the top hat and play Honest Abe. Filming is slated to begin in the fall of 2011 with a release date during the 4th quarter of 2012 through Disney’s Touchstone Pictures.

This project is the latest in a number of directing efforts by Spielberg, who recently committed to Robopocalypse. Lincoln will be shot first, and the director also has Tin Tin: The Secret of the Union and War Horse being released at the end of next year.

Here are excerpts from the official press release:

Two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis will star as the 16th President of the United States in DreamWorks Studios’ Lincoln to be directed by Steven Spielberg. The announcement was made today by Spielberg and Stacey Snider, Co-Chairman and CEO of DreamWorks Studios.

Based on the best-selling book, Team of Rivals, by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, the screenplay has been written by the Pulitzer Prize winner, Tony Award winner, and Academy Award nominated writer Tony Kushner. It will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg.

It is anticipated that the film will focus on the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War.

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Travis

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!